Two Surreal Fictions by Michael Trocchia

The Uninvited

It was the scene outside that would be of great consequence, yet they crowded around the uninvited guest, who in the larger picture had little to do with much of anything. The larger picture, in fact, was more than a frame of reference, for it was, of course, larger than that, despite the fact it had just three parts to it, that is, three worth mention; and with so little to do and so little to say, the uninvited guest had not himself expected to be mistaken for one of the three. But, as the crowd drew near, they drew further from the picture, and even further from the window, out of which could be seen the advance of several figures and an unwelcoming unlike any other tight between their teeth.

Division of Labor

Four men were carried forth by the prevailing winds. The winds formed a face we have done much to forget. One of the men took cover in the mouth of its yellowing mention. Two others effortlessly played a part meant for one. There was talk of betrayal, and talk of finale. The fourth gave way to a fifth and was seen never again. All along there was but one principle. And in principle it was followed into a wood, where it led itself around as if on holiday. One day the winds died in a noiseless struggle and the men found themselves at a door that was half there. It was thought the other half was in the hands of a thing not seen. So they put their heads together and listened closely to a motion of themselves. What they heard we have done little to remember, and, of this little, were their hands scratching at their sides.

Michael Trocchia lives now in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, where he teaches philosophy and works in the library at James Madison University. He was afinalist for the Marsh Hawk Poetry Prize, New Rivers Press Many Voices Competition, the C&R Winter Chapbook Contest, and for the Heavy Feather Review Chapbook Contest. His story “Witness” received grand prize for Prick of the Spindle’s 2013 Fiction Competition.The Fatherlands, a chapbook of surreal fictions and prose poems, was published by Monkey Puzzle Press in 2014. Unfounded, a book of poems, followed in 2015 (FutureCycle Press).

Image: NinoAndonis, morguefile.com

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